That's how I felt riding the 2007 TM 450F. You see this is a bespoke enduro machine, featuring Ohlins monoshock, a swinging arm that looks hewn from sterling silver and even has rubber-damped handlebar mounts. There's just one hitch - it costs £6,095.
But quality costs these days, and TM are a small Italian factory, virtually hand-crafting bikes. What you get on the TM450F is a beautifully sparse, perfectly welded frame, huge Paioli forks and a multi adjustable Ohlins unit at the back.
Nissin/Brembo hybrid braking systems and Excel spoked wheels complete a package that weighs just 125Kgs, minus any fuel in the tank. You feel that lightness, that balanced agility as soon as you set off up the road, or across a wet field.
Little details like the milled TM Racing logos embossed into the handlebar clamps, or on the top of the swinging arm, also remind you this bike wasn't assembled by robots. .
TM build their own engines (both two and four stroke) and although they don't disclose the exact power output of the 450 Enduro, it has more than enough punch for all but expert level off-road riders.
Compared to a DRZ400 Suzuki the TM 450 feels much more torquey, more powerful, but it hasn't the commuter-friendly smoothness of say a Yamaha XT660X. I'd guess the TM450F kicks out 50bhp.
But like a Rolex, or a Mont Blanc pen, the TM 450 feels every inch a hand-crafted tool, designed to do one thing well. In this case it's riding across the countryside with a big grin on your face and the feeling you've bought one of the best dirt bikes money can buy.
